U.S. bishops call for Church unity on Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA. Photo: ocl.org

The Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America has issued an encyclical on the occasion of the Sunday of the Triumph of Orthodoxy. The document is timed to the first Sunday of Great Lent and is dedicated to the restoration of holy icons and the unity of the Orthodox Church, reports the American branch of the UOJ with reference to the Eastern Diocese website.

The encyclical recalls the Seventh Ecumenical Council (787) and the restoration of icons under Empress St. Theodora, Emperor Michael III, and Patriarch St. Methodios, highlighting the triumph of faith over fear. Quoting St. Paul’s exhortation to be “united in the same mind and the same judgment” (1 Cor 1:10), the Assembly encourages Orthodox Christians to pursue unity and mutual grace within the Church.

Faithful are also invited to support the ministries of the Assembly through time, talent, and treasure, fostering Orthodox Christian unity nationwide.

The message was signed by the Chairman of the Assembly, Archbishop Elpidophoros (Constantinople Patriarchate), Vice-Chairman Metropolitan Saba (Antiochian Orthodox Church), as well as hierarchs of various jurisdictions that are part of the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA.

As the UOJ wrote, on February 28, 2026, a joint military operation of Israel and the USA against Iran began, which received a code name referring to the biblical forefather of the Jewish royal lineage.

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